Druid vs Necro Spoilers

[DeckBuilder]

Yeah both good, especially Death Ring.

With mana discounters, I always found the "once per round" a bit clunky as it requires remembering. We tend to tap the Ring then untap it during Reset. Tracking Death Ring usage is trickier (tap it for once, invert it for twice). It could have been more elegant to make it unlimited 1 mana discount usage per round (it is rare that any mage has the mana to cast more than 2 spells even via Spawnpoint). I like that they included Spawnpoints (as Ring of Beasts is one reason why Lair is not used by my Straywood builds).

Bloodspine Wall gives the Druid a vine range wall. It helps that the Druid's Plants are immune to bleed, reducing the danger of your own walls. I see it as a gift to Jokhtari who should already play Deathlock (enhances Bleed) and will play Nature ranged such as Hunting Bow, Galador and Raptors. Jokhtari however has an awful match-up against non-living which has become far more prevalent.

Death Ring's usefulness is based on my book, I build my book hence it will always be strong. Bloodspine Wall's usefulness is based on my opponent's build, it can be very useful but this is situational.

[Uremir]

Since Bloodspine Wall has the vine subtype, will Wall of Thorns be retyped to include the vine subtype? Currently, it is only a plant subtype.

[Arcanus]

We discussed and decided to let this remain just a plant, but not a vine for right now.  But this may change in the future!

[HomelessJoe]

For the Druids sake i'm hoping they include 5+ Bloodspine Walls rather than the usual 2 as they did with the Warlock. With her reaching vines her seedling pods could really create quite the barrier fairly quickly for a rather cheap mana investment. Another gain in her ever increasing defensiveness.

Death Ring is awesome, simple as that. I'm sure we all expected this ring in some fashion, but I didn't expect it to be used by spawnpoints. Obviously this will help with the horde. Good job guys yet again!

Now I want to know about the Necros staff shown in the cover art. Looks two handed and it's spewing some type of gas. I would love something that gave a rot area effect (as there is definitely not enough rot yet imo). But that's probably hoping for a bit too much. Anyway, looking forward to that one.

[Kharhaz]

For the Druids sake i'm hoping they include 5+ Bloodspine Walls rather than the usual 2 as they did with the Warlock. With her reaching vines her seedling pods could really creature quite the barrier fairly quickly for a rather cheap mana investment. Another gain in her ever increasing defensiveness.

Not only can you extend through a vine marker, but you can also cast from a seed pod for a 3 mana discount. That is a total of 6 mana for two bloodspine walls

[Moonglow]

Yeah both good, especially Death Ring.

With mana discounters, I always found the "once per round" a bit clunky as it requires remembering. We tend to tap the Ring then untap it during Reset. Tracking Death Ring usage is trickier (tap it for once, invert it for twice).

I just chuck ready markers on for this kind of tracking, then I remember to flip them back with any others in the upkeep phase.

[Fentum]

Yeah both good, especially Death Ring.

With mana discounters, I always found the "once per round" a bit clunky as it requires remembering. We tend to tap the Ring then untap it during Reset. Tracking Death Ring usage is trickier (tap it for once, invert it for twice).

I just chuck ready markers on for this kind of tracking, then I remember to flip them back with any others in the upkeep phase.

I just chuck ready markers on, then FORGET to flip them!

That's why I love OCTGN and its nice automation.

[Aylin]

For the Druids sake i'm hoping they include 5+ Bloodspine Walls rather than the usual 2 as they did with the Warlock. With her reaching vines her seedling pods could really creature quite the barrier fairly quickly for a rather cheap mana investment. Another gain in her ever increasing defensiveness.

Not only can you extend through a vine marker, but you can also cast from a seed pod for a 3 mana discount. That is a total of 6 mana for two bloodspine walls

Except you have to pay 3 mana in the first place for that Seedling Pod. It only saves you mana if you let it sit 4+ turns or you cast it with Samara Tree (but so far nothing I've seen would make me choose it over Vine Tree).

[aquestrion]

Samara tree is good for a defensive toolbox build, vine tree is good for a offensive toolbox build.

[Kharhaz]

Except you have to pay 3 mana in the first place for that Seedling Pod. It only saves you mana if you let it sit 4+ turns or you cast it with Samara Tree (but so far nothing I've seen would make me choose it over Vine Tree).

Vine tree and Samara are good. Samara is more subtle in the overall effectiveness and I ended some games with a total of 82 extra mana channeled or otherwise saved.  When a pod is coming into play every turn you have forced the opponent to focus on them, end this game quickly, or they lose. Plain and simple. If you let her get out of control, you lose.

[HomelessJoe]

Except you have to pay 3 mana in the first place for that Seedling Pod. It only saves you mana if you let it sit 4+ turns or you cast it with Samara Tree (but so far nothing I've seen would make me choose it over Vine Tree).

Vine tree and Samara are good. Samara is more subtle in the overall effectiveness and I ended some games with a total of 82 extra mana channeled or otherwise saved.  When a pod is coming into play every turn you have forced the opponent to focus on them, end this game quickly, or they lose. Plain and simple. If you let her get out of control, you lose.

I hate her.

[Aylin]

Except you have to pay 3 mana in the first place for that Seedling Pod. It only saves you mana if you let it sit 4+ turns or you cast it with Samara Tree (but so far nothing I've seen would make me choose it over Vine Tree).

Vine tree and Samara are good. Samara is more subtle in the overall effectiveness and I ended some games with a total of 82 extra mana channeled or otherwise saved.  When a pod is coming into play every turn you have forced the opponent to focus on them, end this game quickly, or they lose. Plain and simple. If you let her get out of control, you lose.

Ok, but even in your scenario (assuming a Harmonized Samara Tree) you'd still need to wait 4 turns in order to get the full 3 mana (4 mana off the price of whatever you cast -1 for the mana you spent when Samara Tree casted the pod in the first place). Even then that's only 1 more mana saved than if you had casted it from the Vine Tree and you don't need to wait 4 turns for it then. Now I get that there's probably something I'm missing here, but what is it? Perhaps I'm underestimating the Seedling Pods.

[lettucemode]

Another spoiler, the first of the Druid's getting-around-hydro-immunity cards:



One condition marker for one quick action. Almost the same as Priestess's quick condition removal spell except it is plants instead of creatures, you can heal 1 damage, and it's once-per-round. Seems fine to me.

[DeckBuilder]

Thanks for posting, lettucemode

It's ok...

Mokhtari's Branch: each round 1 plant target within range 1 of a moving Druid, using a valuable Druid action
Renewing Spring: any number of creatures within range 1 (2 if fast) using creature actions, get healed more

Some interesting aspects about Mokhtari's Branch include
(a) it is plant object so all those plant conjurations apply (who couldn't drink from a Spring)
(b) it includes plants not controlled (I don't think Reanimate or Growth have a removal cost but possibilities)
(c) it can remove any condition like Sleep or Stun (where rushing to the Spring won't work)
(d) every mage can use it (but can't see it being played by anybody except a Druid)

I don't think anyone would waste a Druid action on 1 burn so it doesn't really solve the Hydro Immunity issue
I suspect Renewing Rain will be the big full action all arena incantation for anti-burn (amongst other benefits)
I really hope the new FAQ/rules that Bryan Pope is writing will rewrite the "can't water my plants" rules illogic
Just make the targeting immunity optional for non-enchantments in the new rules edition...

This is for removing conditions like Sleep, Stun, Larvae, Weak, Rot etc (latter 3 poison for Necromancer pain)

So the Leaf Ring is a discounter and this is condition control, stressing the resilience of regenerating Plants
Along with Barkskin, Lifebond etc, the Druid looks like a very resilient win-by-attrition mage like the Priestess
She's interesting but I'm definitely more attracted to Necromancer (maybe attracted is the wrong word here)

Mechanics-wise, its just 1 spell point to worry less about any conditions so you can't complain...
Beastmaster has to pay 3 spell points for Renewing Spring (Healing Wand will be level 1 Holy?)

I wish it wasn't range 1 as it's so anti-synergetic with vine range remote combat
What is the range of Purify, Clear Mind and Priestess ability?
And like all rings, once per round is extra book-keeping (would anyone waste both her actions on 2 removals?)

I feel bad judging a card in a vacuum... (having done so too many times already!)

[HomelessJoe]

Its a solid good ring. Cheap enough both mana wise and spellbook wise. Since it's very situational (how many condition markers do you normally get against a beastmaster, warlord etc) it imo had to be 1 sb point to justify putting it in there. It's a strong counter to Necromancer who will be trying to put as many on their opposing mage as possible, but it's not an exclusive counter since other mages can stack markers depending on play style. Instead of a good ring this would have been a great ring if the removal/heal was a free action. As it stands, the Druid will have to pick her removal's very carefully. Wasting Mage actions to remove markers that non mage creatures are inflicting can really turn the tide. Larvae is the only one I can think of atm to be the one for sure removal choice. Rot, weaken and cripple are other considerations for removal. The other's will either remove themselves over time or are just not worth the action. Anyway, like i said, good ring.