Ehren - Malakai Priest

[Borg]

The Priest has been on my Mage Wars to-do list for a long time and I'm happy to finally have a book together.
We'll see how it performs in the days/weeks to come.

This is where I stand atm

[spellbook]
[spellbookheader]
[spellbookname]Ehren[/spellbookname]
[mage]Priest[/mage]
[/spellbookheader]
[spells]
[spellclass]Attack[/spellclass]
[mwcard=DNA01]2 x  Acid Ball[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKA01]2 x  Surging Wave[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFA02]2 x  Hurl Rock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1a08]1 x  Geyser[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Conjuration[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1j04]2 x  Battle Forge[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j12]1 x  Mana Crystal[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1j08]1 x  Hand of Bim-Shalla[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Creature[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWAPRC04]1 x  Ehren, Enduring Paladin[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX1CKC06]2 x  Guardian Angel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWAPRC10]1 x  White Cloak Knight[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c22]1 x  Knight of Westlock[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1c06]1 x  Brogan Bloodstone[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Enchantment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1e32]3 x  Regrowth[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e01]3 x  Bear Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e28]2 x  Mongoose Agility[/mwcard]
[mwcard=FWE03]2 x  Falcon Precision[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e36]2 x  Rhino Hide[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFE07]2 x  Rust[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWA01E02]1 x  Arcane Ward[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1e11]1 x  Divine Intervention[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Equipment[/spellclass]
[mwcard=MWA01Q09]1 x  Wispwillow Amulet[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q09]1 x  Enchanter's Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWAPRQ01]1 x  Asyran Robes[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWA01Q04]1 x  Leather Chausses[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q15]1 x  Leather Boots[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q27]1 x  Dawnbreaker Ring[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q11]1 x  Gauntlets of Strength[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ07]1 x  Veteran's Belt[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q29]2 x  Staff of Asyra[/mwcard]
[mwcard=DNQ09]2 x  Wand of Healing[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1q07]1 x  Elemental Cloak[/mwcard]
[spellclass]Incantation[/spellclass]
[mwcard=mw1i07]3 x  Dissolve[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i06]3 x  Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i24]2 x  Seeking Dispel[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWSTX2FFI06]1 x  Defend[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i19]1 x  Piercing Strike[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i20]1 x  Purify[/mwcard]
[mwcard=MWAPRI05]1 x  Remove Curse[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i28]1 x  Teleport[/mwcard]
[mwcard=mw1i25]1 x  Shift Enchantment[/mwcard]
[/spells]
[cost]Total cost: 120 pts[/cost]
[/spellbook]

Some Notes :

Regrowth and Bear Strength are at the core of this book.

Any of this select group of creatures, including the Priest, become quite a threat with

these enchantments on them ... and Ehren fits right in, at a bargain price.

The Priest needs a third action to help him build up and compensate for the action he's

going to use to attack or Summon.

Losing the Battle Forge could be disastrous, thus a back-up is needed.

Regrowth + Hand of Bim Shalla + Asyran Robes means 4 damage can be healed per round on a

creature ( other than the Mage )

Combine that with the armor they already have and the Angels' Intercept and Guarding skills and they become very hard to kill.

Mongoose Agility obviously is there to let the Holy Avenger hit the target he wants ( to trigger his combat bonuses )

Opening :

Under pressure :
R1 19
QC Mana Crystal ( 1 zone up )
Move left
Battle Forge ( in your zone )

R2 16+1
Deploy Wispwillow Amulet
FC Guardian Angel
QC Defend

R3 10+1+1
Deploy Enchanter's Ring
FC Ehren 7 dam
QC Regrowth

R4 11+1+1
Upkeep : Regrowth 2
Deploy Asyran Robes
QC Hand of Bim Shalla ( in Starting Zone ) and heal Ehren 1
FD Bear Strength on Ehren
Ehren with 4 dam

R5 12+1+1
Upkeep : Regrowth 2 and move 1 dam to mage through Robes = at 1 dam
Deploy Leather Chausses
Bim Shalla Heal Ehren : 0 dam
QC FD Regrowth on Priest


No pressure :

You can bring out Ehren in Round 2 instead of Round 3 and swith the Enchanter's Ring and Wispwillow Amulet as well.

[jhaelen]

Hmm, when will the new cards be added to the database? It's hard to discuss a spellbook without access to the card stats.

[Biblofilter]

Tx for posting this!

Ive already changed this a lot and added it to my spellbookproject.

Going to play this tomorrow and will get back then.

So let me start with the "Why not ?"

edited to add
Decoy (seems to be a new staple)
Restore
Dodge
Enchantment Transfusion (save enchantments, DI etc)

Purge Magic
Minor Heal
Crown of Protection
Resplendent Bow
Nullify
Disperse (instead of 1 Dispel)
Crumble (instead of 1 Dissolve)
Remove Curse (instead of 1 Dispel - save 1 spellbookpoint)

Meditation Monk (instead of Mana Crystal - save 1 spellbookpoint)
Moonglow Amulet (instead of Wispwillow Amulet)

I know that the last 2 would mess seriously with your intending opening, but spellbookpoints are important as well. Saving 1 point with Monk could allow for Altar of the Iron Guard instead of Defend, which might be more important than saving the Battleforge from early destruction - you do have 2

[Borg]

Hi Biblo, I'll go over the "why not"s

Meditation Monk :
- It's a full cast that would keep me pinned down in my starting corner
- Forcing me to cast the BF also in my starting corner - which I do not want to do as it limits the BF's arena coverage too much
- Or cast the BF one zone away, leaving it unprotected on R2 - which is again something I want to avoid.
- Mana Crystal allows me to move and have the BF and my Mage still in the same zone (C3), which is the effect I'd like to have.

Moonglow Amulet :
- I tried the Moonglow Amulet first but it costs 3 mana too much for what I want to be able to do on R2.
- On R2 I have 16+1 mana which leaves me with exactly zero mana after Wispwillow+Angel+Defend.
- I feel I must have this R2 option to counter possible immediate destruction of the Forge or double heavy attack spells on the vulnerable Priest.

Altar of the Iron Guard :
- I tried that one as well but I dismissed it for the same reason, I can't fit it in the build-up at 4 mana
- Defend costs only 2 mana and that's all I have left at that point
- It's also a Zone Exclusive and I'd have to put it in a vulnerable spot (C2) or (B3) as I want to keep (C4)(my starting zone) for Hand of Bim Shalla and (C3) BF and (B4) Crystal are already taken.
- I doubt the Altar would be a great help to this book as the number of creatures being summoned is really limited, and besides putting a Guard counter on Ehren coming into play is not something I'd advise
- I expect the Altar to be more effective in a Creature-spawnpoint book.

Remove Curse :
- I have a Remove Curse

Crumble and Disperse:
- Great spells, I agree, but I think for this mage I need my full action more to either 1) Attack, 2) summon a creature or 3) move

Nullify :
- Can be included to good effect alright, but for this book maybe not essential
- That's 2 sbp's I rather invest into doubles for a few key spells like, Healing Wand, Battle Forge etc.

Crown of Protection :
- Was one of the cuts simply because putting a +1 armor counter on a creature is an action that is really low on my priority list and I'm not sure I would even want to spend 2 mana on it.
- I'm sure the Priest's QC will be taken up by a more important spell each round

Minor Heal :
- Too minor an effect to waste an action on imo.
- If I'd play a Healing Spell I'd want it to be Heal instead
- Overall I want to avoid healing Incantations and get my healing from Regrowth and HoBS ( and the Robes )

Resplendant Bow :
- It's a Full Action attack which prevents my mage from moving around - more suited to a "static" mage
- Range 0/1 is not stellar
- This Priest has no intention to do healing with his Attacks but rather to hit, hurt and daze
- it takes BOTH hand slots and I absolutely want one hand available for a Healing Wand ...
- Not to Heal with it but to be able to remove annoying conditions like Sleep, Stuck, Stun, Weak etc in a pinch

Purge Magic :
- Could be useful but it's 6 sbp's and I'd probably destroy some of my own E's in the process ...

ET :
- Another very good card but not sure it's a must have for this book
- this book has Shift Enchantment and Arcane Ward for those 2 sbp's

Restore :
- Another final cut victim
- I figure if you need/play this card you've already lost ( wouldn't mind being proven wrong, though )

Dodge and Decoy :
- Why these ?

Enjoy your game tomorrow

[Kelanen]

Dodge and Decoy :
- Why these ?

Dodge as a general defence, and Decoy for Arcane Wards, and to bluff an Arcane Ward.

[Borg]

First impressions

Build up is still too slow.
Flyers hurt, Elusive hurts, Force Pull-Force Push-Teleport hurt.
My Beatsmaster Cervere, Priestess Transfusion Angels and Forcemaster Spiked Anchor all stomp on this.

Whatever changes I make, the Priestess always seems to be the better choice.

[bigfatchef]

For a priest book you have to build it around his abilities and make them work so good that they pay off for one less channeling. Don't forget that the priestess also has abilities...
I try a lot, but his abilities are quite conditional. He seems to be designed as always worse choice

[Biblofilter]

Cliffs play Priestess rather than Priest.

I think you should give this a try without the Battleforges and drop a Guardian Angel. Just to see the difference.

In the Runesmith book from Mysterys he didnt seem to mind much if the Battleforge gets destroyed early as it "buys you time" i think it was.

Its a fun thing, but having the opponent advancing on you and attacking early, thats kind of what you want?

So you might consider an Ehren gambit opening:

1. Ehren 6
    HoB    5

2. HA Lowland Unicorn or Asyrian Cleric

Then you advance and guard with Ehren even if isnt "ready". If they do attack Ehren you might get better use of the Holy Avenger.


Meditating Monk vs Mana crystal (not a big deal but)

- Channeling isnt automated like Mana Crystal, so your -1 mana in QC and if you want to go first.
- You have to stay put in the starting square, and leave the Battleforge unprotected.

+ Monk isnt Zone exclusive like crystal.
+ can attack/guard/hinder.
+ he has an activation, early you can choose who goes last if your opponent dont cast a creature
+ its 1 spellbookpoint less.

Dodge
- seem pretty good on the HA. That why i was considering Crown of Protection - cant be dispelled like Rhino hide and its -1 spellbookpoint. Seems like im a lot more worried about them going after the HA?

Decoy
- yes primarly for Arcane Wards.

The Wispwillow Amulet
- felt like a worse choice than the Moonglow Amulet, but i tested it and 6 rounds is a lot and the extra 3 mana early might be worth more.

Altar of the Iron Guard
 - well i never play things like that. Still considering it instead of "burning" the defend in round 2. Having Brogan or Knight of Westlock comming in guarding might be pretty good. That was my thought anyway.

Remove Curse
 - year i was considering swapping 1 more dispel. Another spellpoint

Resplendant Bow
- looking for a place for this. If we play passive with the Priest - why play him at all?

"Enjoy your game tomorrow "

I did

Oh and replace a Mongoose Agility for a Panther Stealth.

[Brian VanAlstyne]

One thing with the Iron Guard since I use it a lot in books, it's a MAY place a guard marker so if you cast something and don't want it guarding, it doesn't guard. So Ehren can be cast and you don't have to guard with it.