Whether for a Mage Wars 2.0 or an official 3rd party expansion/bling for Mage Wars Arena, I’d love to see a Skinny Mini set of Mage Wars mages (and perhaps some of the Legendary creatures, e.g. the most iconic from each school). Would really add some additional table presence at a reasonable price point (compared to custom or even 3D printed miniatures).





Skinny Minis

Priest of Abenek - Undead, Mummy, Cleric

As a full action, Priest of Abenek May place 1 direct damage on a living creature in this zone. If he does, remove 1 damage from a friendly mummy in this zone.

Question: if there are no damaged mummies in Priest’s zone (eg no other mummies and he himself isn’t damaged, etc), can he still use his ability to deal 1 direct damage? Even if there is a damaged mummy, can he opt out of healing? Would have been clearer if there was another “he may” before “remove 1 damage...”

Living level 1 creature is affected by Cowardice or Mass Cowardice. There is a level 2 enemy creature Guarding the zone, and a different target the creature would like to attack (e.g. a conjuration, perhaps a V'tar orb...). Since the L1 creature can't attack the higher level creature, is it free to attack a different target in the zone... almost as though it has the Elusive trait?

No, I'm not suggesting that an orb can be hit by bypassing a neutral Sslak this way; but if an opponent's creature is guarding, what is the Cowardly creature (dis)allowed to do?

Couple of timing questions I'd like clarified please.

Case 1: Soldier with facedown Promotion attacks a guarding creature and deals damage. Can Promotion be revealed before the counterstrike (to benefit from Armor +1)?

Case 2: Soldier affected by Battle Fury (or Sweeping Strike or Whirling Strike, etc) with facedown Promotion attacks its first creature and deals damage. Can Promotion be revealed before the second attack action, which then benefits from the Melee +1 on the second attack?

Thanks in advance.

In a multiplayer match, does each opponent have a strongest creature (which activates KotRH's ability, etc)?

Is an uncontrolled Usslak (orb guardian) considered a strongest creature? Does an opponent's higher-cost creature overrule this, or will it always be the "neutral opponent's" strongest creature?

This card has been discussed in a few places, but those were mostly thread-jacks, so I thought it deserved it's own thread with compiled discussion.



Obviously you can cast this on your own Warlock and try to ensure a friendly demon creature attacks an enemy creature each round. And this can be combined with Demonhide Mask to make your Warlock's own attacks (including attack spells) count to activate Eye of Bael.

But an interesting thing about this spell is it isn't Warlock (or Dark Mage) Only.

... I would probably also cast Eye of Baal on my opponent to try and speed up the damage rate.

Now, before you get too excited, like I did, there are a couple of caveats when it comes to casting equipment on an enemy creature.  Here's what the Rules Supplement has to say about it:

Equipment

Equipment Control

The Mage to whom the equipment is attached controls that equipment. For example, if you cast Sectarus on a friendly Mage, he will be able to attack with Sectarus, and plan curse spells for it. This is different from other spells, such as enchantments and conjurations, in which case control is retained by the caster of the spell.

Note that you cannot cast, control, or use equipment which you are restricted from. For example, A Priestess cannot cast, control, or use a Staff of Beasts which is Beastmaster Only. See “Spell Restrictions”.

Replacing Equipment

You cannot have 2 pieces of equipment attached which have the same name or the same location. For example, you cannot have 2 Leather Gloves attached (same name). You cannot have both or a Bearskin and a Dragonscale Hauberk attached (same location).

If an equipment object of the same name or location is cast upon a Mage, if the spell is friendly controlled, the new equipment object is placed on the Mage, and the duplicate item (the original one which has the same name or location) is removed and placed in its owner’s spellbook. In this manner, friendly Mages can replace equipment on each other with newer or better choices. This might be useful for removing equipment armor which is no longer useful because it is corroded (see “Corrode”).

Note that if an enemy-controlled equipment object of the same name or location is cast on a friendly Mage, the new equipment object is destroyed and placed in its owner’s discard pile. Enemies cannot replace equipment items on friendly Mages.

At first I interpreted this to mean that, if your opponent puts an Eye of Bael on you, you can't simply replace it. But on re-reading, it would seem that isn't the case. If an enemy tries to replace your equipment (e.g. replace your Moonglow Amulet with Eye of Bael), the new equipment (EoB) gets destroyed and goes to its owner's discard pile. However, if your opponent put EoB on you first, you "control" it, so you can replace it with your own Moonglow Amulet, causing it to go to its owner's discard pile.

At least, I think that's how it works.

That said, if your opponent doesn't have an amulet to replace it with, their own option is Dissolve/Crumble (or Explode or Corrosive Orchid), or be stuck with it for the rest of the game, making it a cheap curse to play.

Too bad it doesn't have the Curse subtype.

Have you had success with Eye of Bael?

An untested Paladin spell book inspired by tanky spell books for Anvil Throne Warlord, Forcemaster, etc.

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Ehren's Apprentice[/spellbookname]
[mage]Paladin[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]

[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=]2 x  Force Hammer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]4 x  Luminous Blast[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=]1 x  Ballista[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Battle Forge[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Consecrated Ground[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Enchanter's Wardstone[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Hand of Bim-Shalla[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Mana Flower[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Tanglevine[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=]1 x  Cassiel, Shield of Bim-Shalla[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Ehren, Enduring Paladin[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Knight of the Red Helm[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Messenger of Bim-Shalla[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=]1 x  Arcane Ward[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Armor Ward[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Ballad of Courage[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Critical Strike[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Divine Protection[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]3 x  Divine Reversal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Falcon Precision[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Knight's Courage[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Nullify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Regrowth[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Restore[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Song of Love[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=]2 x  Champion's Gauntlets[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Dancing Scimitar[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Dawn's Bastion[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Dawnbreaker Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Harshforge Plate[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Leather Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Leather Chausses[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Radiant Breastplate[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Signet of the Dawnbreaker[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Sunfire Amulet[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Sword of Radiance[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Veteran's Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Wand of Healing[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=]2 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Heal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Lesser Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Martyr's Restoration[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Minor Heal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Purify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Remove Curse[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]1 x  Smite[/mwcard]
[mwcard=]2 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

Goes something like this:

Round 1 (19): Battle Forge (8) + Mana Flower (5)
Round 2 (16+1): Ehren (5) + Regrowth on Ehren (5) (plus cheap equipment from Forge; e.g. ring or gauntlets; assume 3)
Round 3 (14+1): Martyr's Restoration (1) + either Cassiel or Messenger of BS (9) depending on urgency to heal Ehren (plus cheap equipment from Forge; e.g. ring or leather; assume 3)
Round 4 (12+1) and onward: Continue to gear up (e.g. armor, sword, belt; Regrowth on Mage), and start heading towards the centre of the arena; FD enchantments or Hand of BS or Enchanter's Wardstone are good early plays depending on opponent. Choose chestpiece depending on opposing Mage type and style of play (e.g. Harshforge vs "undo"; Radiant vs "aggro"). Have Cassiel cast healing and protection spells while Ehren + your Mage focus on offense, with equipment from Forge. If the enemy doesn't want to engage on your terms, cast Sunfire Amulet to get a clock ticking. As for damage output, melee sword + Scimitar + Luminous Blast can combine for a lot of damage against 1-3 targets.

Spells that didn't quite make the cut (yet):
- a second Dancing Scimitar
- a second Battle Forge
- Steadfast Boots (I'm afraid of getting Tanglevined while wearing them...)
- Helm of Justice (good against swarms, especially zombies)
- Iguana Regrowth for KotRH (who is mainly here for Sirens and Forcemasters)
- another Tanglevine or Force Hold
- walls. The only cheap one is Pikes, and it doesn't serve the function I'd want.
- more cheap enchantment buffs, like Blessed Focus, Knight's Courage, Paladin's Valor, Eye for an Eye, Brace Yourself, etc

OK, I hate to be "that guy" that starts a thread claiming the sky is falling, but there's some circumstantial evidence pointing in a bad direction for those of us that love this game.

1) The Mage Wars community celebrates as 2016 wraps up a big year for Mage Wars, with the Academy expansions, Paladin vs Siren, and Lost Grimoire v1 all hitting retail stores. Yeah!! On the other hand, there's no hope that the online card database or spell book builder will ever be updated, so it's up to awesome fans of this wonderful game to take matters into their own hands. 

2) Major rules supplement update posted on 2016-12-02 by Laddinfance. This would be his second-last post (as of this moment) on the Arcane Wonders forum; the last, a banana sticker opportunity + Hitchhiker's Guide reference. Note that Laddinfance's signature is "Don't Panic."

3) Word gets leaked that Aaron "Laddinfance" Brosman has been "let go." Since he's been the heart and soul of all things Mage Wars for the past several years, including leading the design and development of MW Arena expansions, monitoring the forum, providing rules updates, contributing to podcasts and expanding the in-universe lore, this is a big blow to the Mage Wars community/universe.

4) For the first time (e.g. in contrast to the previous 4 consecutive years), The Dice Tower's kickstarter campaign doesn't include any Mage Wars (Arena or Academy) promos. Arcane Wonders instead contributes Sherriff of Nottingham and Onitama promos (which they also did in 2016), but no Mage Wars promos can be found (uh-oh). Now perhaps this is just to scale back the release of promos, as otherwise they'll be committed to another Lost Grimoire (v2) rather than more gradually catching up on releasing promos in expansions (there are still many that haven't appeared in retail expansions). And it isn't really a big deal. But with 2) and 3) above, it surprises and worries me more than it otherwise would.