I'd like to have some feedback on this spell book I'm working on. It should allow for quick attacks as well as slow build up.

Also, my goal was to build a Warlord-like book that plays differently than the other mages (I found that very difficult).

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Anvil Throne Warlord - allround[/spellbookname]
[mage]A Anvil Throne Warlord Spellbook[/mage]
[mage]built by the OCTGN SBB[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWA04]2 x Hurl Boulder[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFA02]2 x Hurl Rock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNA01]1 x Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWJ03]1 x Barracks[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ04]1 x Armory[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ02]1 x Archer's Watchtower[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ05]1 x Construction Yard[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ04]1 x Garrison Post[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ02]1 x Altar of Carnage[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFJ03]1 x Altar of Domination[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ01]1 x Akiro's Hammer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWJ07]2 x Quicksand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWW01]2 x Wall of Pikes[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=FWC04]1 x Goblin Builder[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFC09]1 x Otto Kronig, Master Engineer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFC06]2 x Goblin Alchemist[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC03]2 x Goblin Bomber[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC05]2 x Goblin Grunt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC06]3 x Goblin Slinger[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWBG1C04]1 x Slaknir, Goblin Chieftain[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC07]1 x Grimson Deadeye, Sniper[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWC10]1 x Ludwig Boltstorm[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFC12]1 x Talos[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE02]2 x Akiro's Favor[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE06]2 x Fortified Position[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1E32]2 x Regrowth[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE09]1 x Standard Bearer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE04]1 x Force Crush[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ03]1 x Eisenach's Forge Hammer[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ04]1 x General's Signet Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWQ08]1 x Ring of Command[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWA01Q04]1 x Leather Chausses[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFQ05]2 x Harshforge Plate[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q15]1 x Leather Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q16]1 x Leather Gloves[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q23]1 x Regrowth Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ07]1 x Veteran's Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q04]1 x Deflection Bracers[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q08]2 x Elemental Wand[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWQ05]2 x Helm of Command[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1Q13]1 x Ivarium Longbow[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MW1I07]1 x Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWA01I01]1 x Crumble[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I06]1 x Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWA01I02]1 x Disperse[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I20]1 x Purify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWI06]1 x Power Strike[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MW1I19]1 x Piercing Strike[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI04]1 x Flank Attack[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWI08]1 x Sniper Shot[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

Any feedback?

When an earth elemental finds himself in a zone with a guarding Watchdog, is he allowed to use his zone attack (which would also attack the Watchdog) or is he supposed to use his Melee attack to attack the guarding Watchdog?

Your mage receives 1 direct damage for each friendly demon creature in play. While attacking this round, friendly demon creatures gain the melee +1 trait.

So this is basically a gamble incantation right?

The average dmg on a roll is 1. So you get 1 dmg per demon and deal 1 dmg per demon. With the chance of rolling a 2 (above average)... Or the risk of rolling a 0 (below average)...

Additionally the dmg you get is direct damage. So no way around it. But the damage you deal could be avoided, or hit armor.

Doesn't that make this card a bit useless?

I noticed the following differences. Perhaps somebody spots one I forgot or perhaps I made a mistake?

RED means, I'm not entirely sure.

• Spellbooks in Academy have fewer pages than the ones in Arena.
• The mages are lvl 4 instead of 6 in Arena.
• Academy does not count Life with a counter like Arena does - only damage. Despite that, Life can be increased. You just have to do the math in your head.
• There are no action markers in Academy. Instead of those, you turn the cards horizontally to indicate they are active or have been active already. The black quick cast marker has been replaced with a marker.
• In the first 2 rounds in Academy you are not allowed to attack your opponent or play spells on his objects, whereas in Arena you can attack right from round one. Having said that, in Arena you need time to get to your opponent.
• Academy plays in an arena with only 1 zone. Therefore, you cannot move in Academy like you can in Arena.
• In Academy the upkeep phase is not followed by a planning and deployment phase like in Arena. In the action phase, a mage can choose from any spell in his spellbook - in Arena you can only use the cards you prepared.
• In Academy there is no first and final quick cast phase. However, the mage does have an extra quick cast action, which he can use before or after the action of a friendly creature.
• In Academy the rules do not state clearly when you have to pay for an attack (for example when you have a curse on you that makes you pay mana when attacking). I assume this happens like in Arena directly after the step "Declare Attack".
• The step "Roll to miss" (for example when dazed) is not there in Academy (dazed isn't there as well btw).
• From a discussion in the German form it became clear: In Academy the attacked creature cannot decide if he uses his defense or not - like you can do in Arena. If the defense is allowed, it HAS TO be used.
  A single defense HAS TO be used for the first strike of the first attack (no matter if direct attack or counterstrike). After that the defense cannot be used anymore in the current round. The remaining strikes of a multiple strike will not be influenced by the success of a single defense - they happen normally.
  An infinite defense HAS TO be applied for every attack/strike - it is not optional like in Arena.
• Double and Tripple strike is not mentioned in the rules. The cards mention that the attacks follow each other directly - before a counter strike. This is also what the definition of Doublestrike mentions in the codex.
• Damage barriers do not exist in Academy.
• Academy has the condition STAGGER. Stagger is a condition that disorients or knocks a creature off balance. Minor creatures cannot attack or guard while staggered. If they have a guard marker they lose it, and they cannot choose the guard action. Staggers stays until the end of creatures NEXT activation.
• In Academy guards can ignore pests if they like to. The pest can attack, but there will be no counter strike and the status guard remains. Attackers can ignore pests that guard like in Arena.
• In Academy it is not 100% clear that attack spells are both spells and attacks. But it is like in Arena: First follow the spell rules and then the attack rules.
• Spellbooks can only have 40 points in Academy instead of 120 in Arena.
• In Academy you can only have 3 copies of a level 1 spell instead of 6 in Arena.
• In Academy you can only have 2 copies of a level 2 and higher spell instead of 4 in Arena.
• Academy sometimes makes differences between effects on major or minor creatures. Stagger for example works differently for minor creatures compared to major creatures. Sometimes also reveal cost are different. Minor means level 1&2 - major is level 3 and up.
• From a discussion in the German form it became clear: In Academy melee +X only influences the first strike of the first attack where this bones can be applied - so only once every round. A counterstrike is an attack as well. Therefore it is possible that a creature has to use melee +X during a counterstrike and cannot use melee +X during its own action. Melee +X is not optional - you HAVE TO use it if it applies. For multiple strikes, only the first strike can profit from the bonus.
• As already said: Pests cannot attack guards in Academy and be 100% sure the guard status goes away. In Arena guard always goes away when a pest attacks.
• Academy heavily uses Dissipate. Far more often than Arena, although Arena has at least one card too: Rolling Fog. When a spell is played, it gets X Dissipate markers. Every round 1 marker is removed. When all markers are gone, the object is destroyed. So these are minor spells that fade over time.
• There are no walls in Academy, because there is only 1 zone and no movement.
• There are no conjurations in Academy.
• Academy just knows 1 mode, Arena contains two modes: Apprentice (to learn the game) and Advanced (normal game mode).
• The Codex of Academy and the Codex of Arena should not be used for the other game. As this list shows, there are some substantial differences. If you use the Academy cards in Arena (allowed) then the Arena rules apply first. If there is no rule (Staggering for example), the Academy rules should be followed.