Gate to Hell

[the_iron_troll]

I'm really on the fence about Gate to Hell.

If you're going with a Pentagram strategy, that +1 Melee is a lot..

You could take down a swarm Beastmaster's whole team with the 12 mana 2nd ability.

And it's unquestionably super cool.

I just don't know if it's any good. Compare it to Tooth & Nail. Gate costs 12 mana, instead of 7, and 1 Melee isn't that much better than 1 Piercing. Yes, opening the Gate can be pretty effective, but it's probably going to light your Warlock on fire too, and the cost is huge! And 6 points to put in your spellbook? Yikes. Tooth & Nail is much more affordable at 2 points.

Maybe the Gate will get better when there's a lvl 2 Demon to summon.

Or maybe it's good right now and I would know already if I was playing the Warlock a bunch.

Thoughts?

[Gewar]

Try to consider  Gate to Hell as attack spell - you have 4 dice burning attack on all non-flying creatures in radius of 2 zones (whole arena minus two zones, if placed correctly) for 24 mana - Firestorm costs 11 mana, roll 5 dices and affect flying creatures, but has 6 to 10 times smaller area of effect.

Plus bonuses:
- 24 mana is divided for two 12-mana rates
- melee +1 for all demons
- ability to summon deamons from gate instead of near Warlock.

Weaknesses comparing to Firestorm:
- it probably will affect you
- it will not affect flying creature
- less damage
- less chance to double burn
- it can be destroyed
- much more expensive
- you have to spend two full actions (instead of one)

[Koz]

Try to consider  Gate to Hell as attack spell - you have 4 dice burning attack on all non-flying creatures in radius of 2 zones (whole arena minus two zones, if placed correctly) for 24 mana - Firestorm costs 11 mana, roll 5 dices and affect flying creatures, but has 6 to 10 times smaller area of effect.

Plus bonuses:
- 24 mana is divided for two 12-mana rates
- melee +1 for all demons
- ability to summon deamons from gate instead of near Warlock.

Weaknesses comparing to Firestorm:
- it probably will affect you
- it will not affect flying creature
- less damage
- less chance to double burn
- it can be destroyed
- much more expensive
- you have to spend two full actions (instead of one)

Another downside you forgot is that the Gate does not affect Conjurations.  It specificall says non-flying creatures.  

I agree with the OP, it's a cool card but waaaay to expensive IMO.  I think the Gate should have been a level 4 spell, and cost 10 mana to summon the Gate, and 10 to open.  Or should have been allowed to hit flying creatures and conjurations.  Or something...

[wtcannonjr]

Does 'opening the gate' happen as a full action by the Mage or just an action by the object?

Also, consider the benefit of following up the gate attack with a Firestorm spell in the most populated enemy zone. Should be quite a bit of burning going on after that.

You can enhance your mage to fly just before opening the gate if you are concerned about getting burnt.

[paradox22]

Fly is a non mage spell.

[wtcannonjr]

Fly is a non mage spell.

Thanks! I forgot to check the spell before posting. Don the Elemental Cloak and take the hit.

[the_iron_troll]

Does 'opening the gate' happen as a full action by the Mage or just an action by the object?

Full action by the Mage. So far, the only things that give you more spell actions are Spawnpoints and Familiars.

[Drealin]

The Priestess does have a Temple that can perform a free attack, and during the upkeep phase the Warlock can damage opponent creatures that have curses on them.