Collection of changes to mage abilities to level them out (houseruling)

[Kelanen]

Leave Straywood alone, and siphon strength from the Wizard

Wizard doesn't need Strength siphoning from it now. Post errata it's still good, but it's somewhere from the middle to bottom of the top tier. It's basically right where you want a mage to be.

[Halewijn]

Yes, quicksummoning is hands down better than fast but not all Straywood beastmasters use their quicksummoning during a game.

Show me a Beastmaster that doesn't use it., and I'll show you an improved version with a few L1 Creatures in it. I don't believe an optimal Straywood exists without making use of it, it's just too good.

Beastmasters with big buddies or in lesser extend with a lair. often too action starved to waste a (multiple) quickcasts on a level 1. With a lair, the need for quicksummoning is already a lot smaller.

By the way, the quicksummoning isn't gone.. If you want it, you would still have the Johtari that can make very good use out of it.

Think of it the other way around if it makes you feel better, your decks that make good use out of the quicksumming trade the "pet and melee +1" for "ranged +1 and (a boosted allowing mages) Wounded prey". Instead of paying extra mana to boost 1 creature you can give all your little guys a +1 die on something you need killed for free.

[Arkdeniz]

This is perhaps a little off topic, but as there was lots of commentary towards the start of this thread about the Bloodwave warlord and how he is 'weak' and the veteran tokens need to be made automatic or stackable etc etc.

I return serve with this two-part suggestion to make him (and indeed the Anvil Throne) perhaps a little better indirectly:

1) Make Goblin Grunts a quickcast deploy rather than a full action, but add 1 point of Dark school to their existing War school cost.
2) Make the Goblin Grunt a cantrip.

As well as helping the warlords along, this change would reflect two things:

a) Goblins are supposed to be the swarming minions serving dark powers. That is their fantasy canonical role. They just keep coming. Kill one, and another pops up.

b) playing this would just be plain fun! An endless horde of little goblins getting underfoot, slashing with their poorly made swords while falling in droves before the kitted-out hero mages.