A few suggestions

[Drac]

I'd like to add my thoughts on how to improve the existing mages.

1.  If there is going to be any hope of getting a small swarm from the warlord going, there needs to be more in-school level 2 soldiers.  He just doesn't have the mana supply (even with meditation amulet) to hope to get a barracks build working right in a short enough time with level 3 creatures and the level 1 creatures at his disposal just aren't up to the job without help.  Butcher is nice, but he needs more for the strategy to see merit.

2.  There needs to be a nature school 'attack spell' for the johktari beastmaster to become truly competitive and play to her strengths.  It wouldn't have to be anything ridiculous like hurl rock, just something that doesn't require her to spend 30+ points in the book on attack spells.  Even with only one spell, it would likely cut her attack spell points used down to below 20.  I almost cried when I saw that she couldn't use burst of thorns because it was so perfect for her (minus the vine token part).

3.  Resilient is just plain too beefy.  I get that resilient creatures are supposed to be tough to kill, but it is too much right now.  Even the old Iron Golem(which, I believe nobody will dispute, is already a top tier card) pales in comparison to a zombie brute, and the brute can move and attack on his own!  There needs to be some kind of counter, other than the usual 'Don't be there', or 'Rush the mage' arguments.  +X vs nonliving is not enough either as the bonus dice are too unpredictable.  There needs to be some kind of direct counter like there is for incorporeal.  A 'critical damage vs. nonliving creatures' attack trait would not be out of line if used sparingly and tastefully.

[Alexander West]

The thing about Zombies, is that Bloodthirsty is a huge drawback.  An armored up mage with like one point of damage and a verterans belt can soak up most of their attacks, but they have no choice but to keep choosing this terrible target.  I am sure there are many other ways to make all of their attacks de-optimized, and I think as such they aren't as overpowered as you might fear.

I *would* like to see more +vs. Nonliving effects as Golems/Conjurations/Undead seem pretty strong in the current meta since they dodge so many powerful vs. Living effects.

[Drac]

Necro (and don't forget about wizard jelly) has the same access to tools to get around armor stacking as just about any other mage.  And, any decent necro is going to run plenty of positional tricks to make sure that his minions hit what he wants them to anyways.  Bloodthirsty is more of a boost than a hinderance.  If the necro has 6+ resilient zombies, it's not much of a loss of tempo to attack a diversion target a few times.  The bonus dice will ensure that the creature dies very quickly.  Don't forget, the necro can strip 4 armor in one action and quickcast if he chooses to.  And likely prevent you from getting away from the prior turn's jynx + stumble.  The issue remains that there is not a reliable way to kill them.

Plus, armored or not, a zombie swarm would rarely not want to attack the mage given the choice.

[Aylin]

I don't think I've ever chosen more than 20 points of attack spells as a J. Beastmaster.

2x Hurl Boulder (8 points)
4x Acid Ball (8 points)
2x Surging Wave (4 points)

I find that more than required in most cases.

[Drac]

I don't think I've ever chosen more than 20 points of attack spells as a J. Beastmaster.

2x Hurl Boulder (8 points)
4x Acid Ball (8 points)
2x Surging Wave (4 points)

I find that more than required in most cases.

That's fine, but I tend to embrace her as a ranged fire-support role for her creatures.  I tend to throw on her bow and go to town with nukes after I have enough creatures out to satisfy me.  The problem with that, is that I end up with much more attack spells required to get the job done.  Something more like...

4x Hurl Boulder  'any less and I wouldn't be willing to use it against anything other than the mage'
4-6x Invisible Fist  'most efficient damage spell that the johktari has access to right now'
1-3x Acid Ball  'depends on how many raptors I'm running'
2x Surging Wave  'enough said'
1-2x Jet Stream  'if you're running a fast nature mage, it's a shame to not include this and wall of thorns'

The numbers are carefully chosen to not only assault the mage, but his minions if needed.  And believe me, there is no problem running out of such an attack spell lineup as the johktari when you cannot run elemental wand with a bow.  And, if you're not running a bow, why not play a straywood instead?

[Zuberi]

I haven't actually tried such a strategy and sounds like you have, but just from conjecture I feel like you are throwing around way too many attack spells to be effective. Attack spells are not a very efficient form of damage. Surely you can find a better use of your mana.

[Drac]

Therin lies the problem, every other strategy I have tried(lair, kinship, fellella, forge, rajan's fury, etc...)  ends up being better as the straywood beastmaster.  I have only found attack spells to have the synergy with her strengths to augment her more than the straywood.  Being able to double dip on the hawkeye bonus is just an extra bonus, but not the main reason.  The reason is simple, she cannot field as many creatures as effectively as the straywood.  If she does not have creature superiority, she must either eliminate creatures or perform some kind of completely bizarre positional sleight of hand to go for the throat (good luck with that against most mages).

The strategy works well, but it's just a few too many points in the book.  Not many though, that is why I feel she needs cheaper access to one and only one attack spell.

As for the mana issue, mana is not an issue when you are spending a full action to fire the bow often enough.  (again, if you aren't using a bow, there is little reason to use the johktari).  All told, a beastmaster only attack spell would affect her far more than the straywood and bring the two on even footing without affecting any other mage.

[sIKE]

How do you handle [mwcard=MW1E35] Reverse Magic[/mwcard] and [mwcard=MW1E34] Reverse Attack[/mwcard] in this build?

[Drac]

How do you handle [mwcard=MW1E35] Reverse Magic[/mwcard] and [mwcard=MW1E34] Reverse Attack[/mwcard] in this build?

That's easy, reverse magic is a non-issue because I don't need to teleport the opponent.  They are already in range due to coverage.  If they decide to reverse magic my marked for death, more power to them.  As for reverse attack, that's what surging wave(or any unavoidable attack) is for, while letting my raptors work down the armor.  If I am out of unavoidable attacks, one of my minons can take the fall if needed.  If you would like, I can share the build on the appropriate forum section for all to see.

[Alexander West]

For my the Beastmaster question is one about goals.  The Straywood clearly excels at swarms, and is probably the best aggressive Mage in the game.  However, swarms have many ready counters, which leads to a meta decision to play fewer larger creatures.  Once the swarm strategy is out, the animal quickcast ability isn't as great, and Wonded Prey can be more meaningful for damage output than the Pet bonuses.  Unless, of course, everyone is playing Nonliving creatures, in which case Wounded Prey is a blank.

Personally, I've started making all my non-swarm Nature based decks with the Druid.  She just seems way better than the Johkarti, given a broader range of spells, a nice Spawnpoint, and sort-of 10 channeling.  Bows are so awkward and mana intensive, I don't miss them at all.

[Drac]

For my the Beastmaster question is one about goals.  The Straywood clearly excels at swarms, and is probably the best aggressive Mage in the game.  However, swarms have many ready counters, which leads to a meta decision to play fewer larger creatures.  Once the swarm strategy is out, the animal quickcast ability isn't as great, and Wonded Prey can be more meaningful for damage output than the Pet bonuses.  Unless, of course, everyone is playing Nonliving creatures, in which case Wounded Prey is a blank.

Personally, I've started making all my non-swarm Nature based decks with the Druid.  She just seems way better than the Johkarti, given a broader range of spells, a nice Spawnpoint, and sort-of 10 channeling.  Bows are so awkward and mana intensive, I don't miss them at all.

You are forgetting the value of the quickcast animals in a kinship build.  Even against anti-swarm, it still holds more value than the johktari version brings to the table.  And, straywood is just a better beater in general, with or without the swarm.

I also disagree about the damage output of wounded prey.  First, there has to already be damage on the creature.  Then there has to be enough qualifying attacks on said creature to make up for the difference in damage(your own ranged attacks do not count).  Also, the pet doesn't have to keep attacking the same target if it becomes suboptimal to retain the bonus.  Finally, pet boosts survivability on top of damage.  Nothing the johkari has can do that.

[Alexander West]

Good points Drac.  I love that we're both just arguing a million different angles why the Johkarti is terrible.   

[Drac]

Good points Drac.  I love that we're both just arguing a million different angles why the Johkarti is terrible.   

I agree, that's why I left a suggestion for her.  Is it the right way forward?  I don't know for sure, but something should be done.  I'd hate to see an otherwise fine mage be shelved for competitive play over something that could be helped greatly with the printing of 1-2 cards.

I'm also intrigued that so many people have chimed in about the johktari.  It seems that there is a lot more interest in her than I originally thought.  That makes me happy because she is probably the most fun mage for me to play.

[Alexander West]

Yeah, I'd be into some sort of Nature themed attack.  Maybe something like:

(X+1) Spirit Animal Strike (Quick)(0-2) Creature & Creature or Conjuration (Nature 1)
X dice, Ethereal
Choose target living non-Mage creature you control and a target.  X is your creature's quick melee attack damage.

I don't know quite enough about costing to know whether there should be an effect or a bonus vs. Nonliving or something, but just throwing ideas out there.

[Drac]

Yeah, I'd be into some sort of Nature themed attack.  Maybe something like:

(X+1) Spirit Animal Strike (Quick)(0-2) Creature & Creature or Conjuration (Nature 1)
X dice, Ethereal
Choose target living non-Mage creature you control and a target.  X is your creature's quick melee attack damage.

I don't know quite enough about costing to know whether there should be an effect or a bonus vs. Nonliving or something, but just throwing ideas out there.

I like it, but ethereal is not needed imo.  The spell is interesting though, because with the nature school... it is difficult with the usual johktari lineup to get more than 4 base dice with it other than via a bear.  Care would be needed with the wording to make sure that any melee+ bonuses on the creature are not included in X, and it would almost certainly be friendly animal.

Going on that criteria, without any effect at all (or even along the lines of 8+ daze) the spell would probably cost about 5 mana.  A good effect would raise it to 6.  Conservatively, I'd say 6 with a good but not stellar effect to allow expansion of the animals past it's current limit of 5.  It's interesting in that it properly rewards the beastmaster for playing thematically.

All in all, minor critiques from me... but I love the card.