Druid vs Necro Spoilers

[lettucemode]

Looks like Altar of Skulls got updated....when it's powered up, now it also gains Lifebond +2!



What is Lifebond? I think I read somewhere that it is: "During the upkeep phase, you may heal X damage on your mage and place it on this object." Is that correct?

If it is, then that means the same cleric that was placing skulls on the Altar can switch to reconstructing it every turn instead...pretty cool.

[jacksmack]

its not a heal... this is important. and it would actually be useless if it was since everything has finite life once the altar gets lifebond.

Lifebond is somehting like this:
The mage may transfer X damage from herself to the target or from the target to herself.

AKA heal herself and damage altar or vice versa.... except its not heal.

[lettucemode]

Thanks for the clarification jacksmack. You are right - it wouldn't make sense with my wording.

I am thinking turn 1 altar + cleric, leaving you with 26 mana for turn 2 Libro Mortuos and a Wall of Bones or two to protect the altar. Then start pumping out skellies   

[DeckBuilder]

Altar is now quite attractive. While not an alternate win condition, it is an Epic Game State changer (like Gate to Hell was meant to be).

Like jacksmack, I'm more concerned about Unstable Zombie at 5 life (hit points?). Few level 2 creatures compare well against the Timber Wolf but both cost 9, you can't help make the comparison. Even as Resilient, it feels too vulnerable to lucky rolls and of course ganging up before the reconstruct 2 kicks in. Maybe there's some support we haven't seen (like a Zombie Totem). It would be a shame if it has been nerfed to unplayable as it is such an interesting creature. Let's hope the playtesting has pitched it right.

[lettucemode]

Like jacksmack, I'm more concerned about Unstable Zombie at 5 life (hit points?). Few level 2 creatures compare well against the Timber Wolf but both cost 9, you can't help make the comparison. Even as Resilient, it feels too vulnerable to lucky rolls and of course ganging up before the reconstruct 2 kicks in. Maybe there's some support we haven't seen (like a Zombie Totem). It would be a shame if it has been nerfed to unplayable as it is such an interesting creature. Let's hope the playtesting has pitched it right.

Looking at the card list for stuff we haven't seen yet...there aren't any more new conjurations. There's a creature called Mort (probably a Dark creature, judging from the name) that could buff zombies in some way. There's a level 1 incantation called Reassemble that could help, though it might only be for the skeleton subtype; an Epic incantation called Unholy Resurgence that will definitely help it out, though maybe not in the way of survival; and another incantation called Zombie Frenzy that is also probably not for survival, level 2 or higher.

[sIKE]

Looking at the card list for stuff we haven't seen yet...there aren't any more new conjurations. There's a creature called Mort (probably a Dark creature, judging from the name) that could buff zombies in some way. There's a level 1 incantation called Reassemble that could help, though it might only be for the skeleton subtype; an Epic incantation called Unholy Resurgence that will definitely help it out, though maybe not in the way of survival; and another incantation called Zombie Frenzy that is also probably not for survival, level 2 or higher.

We haven't seen:

Mohktari and Stranglevine (Conjuration)
Wall of Bones (Conjuration-Wall)
Deathfang, Mort, Plague Zombie, Tataree, Thornlasher, Venomous Zombie, and Zombie Crawler(Creature)
Deathshroud Staff, Veterans Belt, and Vinewhip Staff (Equipment)
Burst of Thorns, Reassemble, Renewing Rain, Unholy Resurgence, and Zombie Frenzy (Incantation)

So there is still a good bit to learn here. Next week peeps from the shows should be getting their copies sigh, I didn't make any of them.

The Crawler has now been spoiled....

[Koz]

sIKE, as always, on the ball 

[Laddinfance]

The issue with Unstable Zombie was that at 6 health there was little reason to play a zombie minion, when for one mana more this guy does so much. Yes, it can be more "swingy" when attacking resilient creatures, but he can still do a great deal. A Zombie minion is more constant, more reliable, with it's extra health. However, if you have guts you can risk the unstable zombie and it can do amazing things.  I firmly think that Agony and stacking Weak conditions on your opponents can greatly help this guy survive, and if he does he's pretty solid.

[sIKE]

Here he is:

[HomelessJoe]

Nice the Necro is the second Mage to only get 4 mana creatures. This guy is thematically so awesome! Way better than the Warlord grunts. I'm not saying i'll be using them, but the idea of them is terrific!!!!

Well, maybe for synergy graveyard purposes...

[DeckBuilder]

The issue with Unstable Zombie was that at 6 health there was little reason to play a zombie minion, when for one mana more this guy does so much.

One more mana? I thought Zombie Minion was 7 mana for 7 life?
Prior Unstable version was 9 mana for 6 life. The final version is 9 mana for 5 life = 10 dice on average
It's crossing that threshold that makes Etherian Lifetree so good for Straywood swarm, but in reverse
Few Big with its higher damage dice and higher resilience is preferred because it is more consistent
I guess "unstable" = unreliable and quite luck-reliant here

I appreciate the point about a fairer trade-off choice with the Minion but what about the Brute?
If I have 18 mana to spend, I would rather spend it on a Brute and a Minion than 2 Unstables
For 2 more mana (and 1 more spell point), you can get the awesome sauce that is the Brute...

I'd like to return my 4 Unstable Zombies please... I'll stick to Brutes and maybe that Fast Ghoul Cleaner


As for Zombie Crawler, ugh! Slow on a level 1? At least Skeleton Gardeners can nimbly remove Vine Markers...
Crawler is just food for Shaggoth-Zura (if you want to waste 1 spell point, 4 mana and 1 spawn action on it)


Again, this is evaluating cards in a decreasing vacuum (and we don't know how rules have evolved either)
I look forward to a meta full of Crawlers and Unstables so I can really gorge on humble pie...

[HomelessJoe]

It's too bad altar of skulls is exclusive to enemy creatures. It may be worth the 4-5 points to put a few crawlers for sacrifice. Like Deck said, basically food for shaggoth.

Have any of the playtesters used these effectively in a more conventional melee way? Or were these put in as a balance for some of the more superior Necro creatures?

With the pest they can't be used as meat shields aka one shot guards. Too bad.

I still like unstable. I like that there is a real gamble to him. There aren't a lot of creatures with that dimension. They could be one shotted by big creatures of course, but I think that can be said for a lot of other cheap creatures. He still has piercing +2, he can still heal, and he can still ignore lumbering trait. Those are still options that other similar creatures cannot choose.
My only beef is the skill point cost. The zombie crawlers are 1, but the zombie minion and the unstable zombie are both 2. I would have liked the zombie minion to also be 1, and then stomaching the 2 for unstable's would have been a bit easier.
I remember a playtester saying how much the Necro build really embodied the horde feel, so i'll just have to wait and see how true that is.

[DeckBuilder]

Yeah, I like Unstable still because it is so interesting to choose a benefit. Maybe in conjunction with Grey Wraith.

"Unstable" should have been either
(a) more random (e.g. when activated, roll d12, consult chart for a random benefit, great but unpredictable)
(b) more aggressive (e.g. quite undercosted but must attack, even own creatures, as in mentally unstable)
(c) short lived (e.g. very good but with built-in Rot mechanic, "the star that shines brightest shines shortest")
I see nothing "Unstable" in it as it is.

On the other hand, the Crawler is definitely flavoursome, if not very useful so far
Maybe there is some sacrifice mechanic yet unspoiled (as its Sacrificilal Altar / Graveyard synergy is not great)
I think what Crawler really needed was 11+ Stuck so it can be a control deterrent

[lettucemode]

Mage Wars posted a link to an unboxing video on their Facebook page. I'm gonna write down all the new cards I see in the video here.

Veteran's Belt
4 mana, Equipment, Belt, 0-2, targets Mage, War level 1, no subtypes.
When this mage is attacked, at the end of the <something> step, he may convert up to 2 critical damage to normal damage.

-For those defensive mages with some armor on already.

Viewship Staff
7 mana, Equipment, One-handed, 0-2, targets Mage, Nature level 2, Vine subtype. Druid Only.
Quick attack, melee, 4 dice, Reach.
As a quick spell, you may spend 1 mana to place a Vine marker in a target zone up to 1 zone away. Once per round, as a quick spell, you may pay 4 mana and destroy a target friendly Vine marker up to 2 zones away to give a target non-Flying creature in that zone the Stuck condition.

- Very defensive, cool stuff.

Stranglevine
7 mana, Conjuration, quick, 0-2, targets Corporeal Creature, Nature level 2, Plant and Vine subtypes. Upkeep +X, Living, Flame +2, Hydro Immunity.
6 life, no armor.
Target is Restrained and gains the Unmovable trait. Each Upkeep Phase, before paying Stranglevine's upkeep cost, place 1 Crush token on Stranglevine. X = the number of Crush tokens on Stranglevine. When you pay Stranglevine's upkeep cost, this creature receives X direct damage. Stranglevine gains Life +2x. Stranglevine cannot target creatures with the Flying or Uncontainable traits. Ranged attacks cannot target Stranglevine.

-A better, more expensive, Tanglevine.

Raptor Vine
9 mana, Creature, Nature level 3, Plant and Vine subtypes. Rooted, Uproot 1, Regenerate 1, Hydro Immunity, Flame +2.
10 life, no armor.
Quick attack, melee, 5 dice, Vampiric.

-Rooted means the creature can't move. Uproot means you can pay that much mana to move the creature, but there might be a distance-from-mage restriction.

Taratree (butterfly!)
6 mana, Creature, QUICK ACTION, Nature level 1, Insect subtype. Flying, Legendary, Pest, Druid Only.
3 life, 0 armor, infinite Defense on 3+.
Quick attack, melee, 1 die, Ethereal.
As a quick action, Taratree may choose and do one of the following to a Plant object in its zone: Heal it 1 damage, or place 1 mana on it if it has the Channeling attribute.

-Dies instantly to anything Unavoidable, but the quick action to summon and watering Seedling Pods makes it pretty cool.

Thornlasher
7 mana, Creature, Nature level 2, Plant and Vine subtypes. Rooted, Regenerate 2, Flame +2, Hydro Immunity.
11 life, 0 armor.
Full attack, range 0-1, 3 dice, 5+ = Snatch (?) (new keyword, probably means "Stuck until Thornlasher is destroyed").

-Thematic and cool.

Burst of Thorns
5 mana, Incantation, quick, 0-2, targets Friendly Vine Marker, Nature level 1, no subtypes. Druid Only.
Ranged 0-0 attack, 4 dice, 7+ = Bleed, Piercing +1.
Target Friendly Vine Marker makes the above attack. Then, destroy that Vine Marker.

-Decent I guess.

Deathshroud Staff
8 mana, Equipment, One-handed, quick, 0-2, targets Mage, Dark level 3, Necro subtype. Necromancer Only.
? attack, 4 dice, 8+ = Rot.
Once per round, as a quick necro spell, you may pay 2 mana to target a zone up to 1 zone away. All friendly Undead creatures in that zone gain Melee +1 until the end of the round.

-Meh, seems alright.

Wall of Bones
6 mana, Conjuration, targets Zone Border, blocks sight and movement, Dark level 1, Skeleton subtype. Extendable.
12 life, 0 armor.

-Nice tough walls that can be Reconstructed by clerics.

Deathfang
8 mana, Creature, Dark level 2, Undead, Skeleton, and Canine subtypes. Fast, Nonliving, and Psychic Immunity.
8 life, 0 armor.
Quick attack, melee, 3 dice, piercing +1.

-Cool!

Mort
16 mana, Creature, Dark level 4, Undead, Skeleton, and Soldier subtypes. Nonliving, Psychic Immunity, and Legendary.
Quick attack, melee, 4 dice, 8+ = Tainted.
13 life, 1 armor.
Each upkeep phase, each friendly Skeleton object in or bordering Mort's zone may Reconstruct up to 2 damage.

-what the sheeeeeeeeet

Plague Zombie
9 mana, Creature, Dark level 2, Undead and Zombie subtypes. Bloodthirsty +1, Lumbering, Pest, Resilient, Psychic Immunity, and Nonliving.
4 life, 0 armor.
Quick attack, melee, 2 dice, 8+ = Rot.
When Plague Zombie is destroyed, place a Rot condition on each living creature in its zone.

-Exploding poison zombies, me likely

Skeletal Archer
11 mana, Creature, Dark level 3, Undead, Skeleton, and Soldier subtypes. Nonliving and Psychic Immunity.
9 life, 0 armor.
Full attack, ranged 1-2, 4 dice.
Quick attack, melee, 2 dice.

-Solid ranged unit IMO.

Venomous Zombie
7 mana, Creature, Dark level 2, Undead and Zombie subtypes. Bloodthirsty +1, Lumbering, Pest, Resilient, Psychic Immunity, and Nonliving.
5 life, 0 armor.
Quick attack, melee, 2 dice, 7+ = Tainted.

-Meh.

Animate Dead
X mana, Incantation, full action, Dark level 3, targets Discarded non-Epic Living creature, Necro subtype. Dark Mage only.
Choose a non-Epic Living creature from any discard pile and Summon it into your zone. Place damage on that creature equal to its level and place a Zombie condition marker on it. X = half that creature's casting cost, rounded up.

-Cool stuff.

[DeckBuilder]

Wow! Thanks for typing all that up! Too much to take in! First impressions of cards I like...

Druid: Viewship (Stuck as a range 2 cost 4+vine quick?), Stanglevine (bypass Resilient), Raptor Vine (depending on Uproot range)

Necromancer: Mort (go Skeleton build), Plague Zombie (Sacrificial Altar if ignored), Venomous Zombie (bit swingy, Necro's poison ability)

This super-spoiler feels wrong. I feel like I have been waiting ravenously for morsels and suddenly come upon a feast...